Feb 26, 2021
As we continue our Heart of it All Series for
American Heart Month, I am so excited to welcome, Kim Christenson &
Veloris Brooks, Volunteers & Heart Attack Survivors, American Heart
Association
About Kim:
Kim Christenson suffered a major heart attack in
September 2016. She had just finished up a training session with
her friend, when she started to feel a burning in her chest and
unimaginable pain in her neck, jaw and back. As the pain continued
to worsen, she began to recognize that something was wrong and
called 911.
This is where her perfect chain of survival began.
Because Kim did not hesitate one more second with calling 911, the
paramedics came when they did. Because the paramedics are part of
the American Heart Association’s Mission Lifeline program, they
were able to use Kim’s EKG reading to alert the hospital that they
needed to prepare a Cath lab for her. Because that Cath lab was
ready upon arrival, doctors were able to determine that Kim was
suffering from what is known as a widow maker’s heart attack: 100%
blockage in the left descending artery and perform emergency
surgery.
Kim coded 6 times as doctors worked to place a
stent in her artery, so she is forever grateful for the help and
care that she received that day and for the perfect chain of
survival that has given her the opportunity to share her story with
other women and spread awareness about the prevalence of heart
attacks in women.
About Veloris :
At age 40, Veloris Brooks was misdiagnosed for 5
months, traveling to the ER several times, with various symptoms.
It was eventually discovered that her left artery was 90% blocked
and the right was 50% blocked. She had to undergo a triple bypass
surgery to repair her heart.
Veloris has been an active volunteer with the
American Heart Association for the last few years; she is extremely
passionate about the AHA’s community impact and health equity work
and uses her story as a testament to the importance of women
advocating for themselves and their health.
Listen in as Kim & Veloris’ share their personal
heart journeys, why it’s so important to advocate for your health &
always listen to your body.